The Dallas Stars got a jump on the rest of the NHL when they acquired Jason Spezza and Ludvig Karlsson for Alec Chiasson, Alex Guptill, Nicholas Paul and 2nd round pick in 2015.

The West continues to get stronger, and if the Oilers plan to become competitive in two years they must develop Leon Draisaitl correctly. You need elite centres, two of them, to compete in the western conference.

The Oilers won't get an elite centre in free agency, but they will try to find some quality veterans to help the Oilers young core become more competitive.

BREAKING...Oilers sign Mark Fayne to a four-year deal at $3.5 million/year and Benoit Pouliot for five years at $4 mill/year.

Former Oiler, Ales Hemsky, signs in Dallas for three years at $4 million/year

Oilers sign Keith Aulie to a one-year deal. Good depth guy. He can be a #6/7 and it is better that he sits in the pressbox instead of a young D-man.

The Oilers will try to land a centre, a 3rd line left winger a 4th line right winger and some D-men.

If they can land two of those players that would be a good day, if they get three would very good. We'll see what happens.

We will update you as the day unfolds.

Also, before we get to hockey I'd like to say Happy 147th birthday to The True North Strong and Free. I'm extremely lucky to have been born in this great country and make sure you celebrate our great Nation today.

QUICK HITS...

With Dallas trading for Spezza, this puts even more pressure on St.Louis to try and sign Stastny. I like Stastny a lot, but if he gets $7mill/year that is huge money for a guy who is a great 2nd line centre.

Jarome Iginla and the Bruins might have to part ways because the Bs have limited cap space. Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Colorado and Detroit are interested. The Avs really like Iginla and want his experience and if they lose out on Stastny, which seems likely, they could go hard after Iggy.

Dave Bolland is my pick for biggest overpayment. Who is yours?

SIGNINGS BEGIN...

Penguins sign Ehrhoff for one year at $4 million. Good signing for Pens, especially with Maatta coming off shoulder surgery.

Manny Malhotra signs a one year, $850,000 deal with Montreal. Malhotra continues to be a great feel good story....

Mark Fayne at four years $3.5 million is a solid signing, but I don't see him more than a #4 long term. The most important part of this signing is that means the Oilers don't have to rush their young D-men.

Pouliot'sfive years concerns me. Time will tell, but that money for five years could be an issue in the future. He has played on five teams in five years. The Oilers needed a proven NHL player and he is that, but five years is major risk, IMO. Pouliot is a former #4 overall pick, so he does have some skill. I like that he is very aggressive on the forecheck and he will give the Oilers a good puck retriever.

One of Canada's most versatile sports personalities. Jason hosts The Jason Gregor Show, weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m., on TSN 1260, and he writes a column every Monday in the Edmonton Journal. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JasonGregor

Why is it that people think Pouliot is an overpay "by the comparables"? The whole league seems to think players in his range are worth what he are paying him, and he's arguably one of the best in that range, if not the best.

Also, the Ducks signed Clayton Stoner to a very similar contract to Fayne. Fayne is definitely a spot or two up on Stoner, and making a whopping 250k more.

Well, unless they get someone on free agency, did the ducks just lose all their centre depth. Traded Bonino, and Perreault just went to Washington, so after that they have... Cogliano who they moved to the wing?

Funny how a much better team thinks Fedun is of use but the Oilers don't.

Nah, it's completely situational. Edmonton does not have the luxury of bringing in solid but undersized young kids to a roster bursting with undersized and skilled young kids.

He was too good for AHL, but behind the depth chart on Marincin, Shultz, Petry, Nurse, and Klefbomb. I seriously think the Oilers did the right thing not for the Oilers, but for Fedune and let him go to free agency, rather than continue to stifle his career.

MacT/Klowe have made a very risky bet on two goalies with less than a seasons worth of experience - could have gotten hiller or Niemi. If the bet fails everything else is irrelevant.

Why?

Edmonton won't win the cup next year even if their goaltenders play out of their minds. If they play terrible, then MacT can replace one or both of them.

Goalies become available every year and they can be had for minimal assets, but having 2 goalies who are young with a lot to prove pushing each other isn't a bad approach. Hopefully by the time the team develops into a playoff contender, one of the goalies has established himself as a reliable #1.

Why is it that people think Pouliot is an overpay "by the comparables"? The whole league seems to think players in his range are worth what he are paying him, and he's arguably one of the best in that range, if not the best.

Also, the Ducks signed Clayton Stoner to a very similar contract to Fayne. Fayne is definitely a spot or two up on Stoner, and making a whopping 250k more.

Its term not dollars. Multiply the 2, add in the fact Poo is inconsistent and has character issues and you got bad contract.

Edmonton won't win the cup next year even if their goaltenders play out of their minds. If they play terrible, then MacT can replace one or both of them.

Goalies become available every year and they can be had for minimal assets, but having 2 goalies who are young with a lot to prove pushing each other isn't a bad approach. Hopefully by the time the team develops into a playoff contender, one of the goalies has established himself as a reliable #1.

Vancouver and Calgary are proof that they think goaltending will fix a multiple of sins. Hiller is not Penne Rinne or Carey Price. He was replaced by two rookies from the Anaheim goaltending factory.

Vancouver can have Miller. He has never one anything, and is a solid number 1. Basically replaces Lou with more yearly cap.

Edmonton won't win the cup next year even if their goaltenders play out of their minds. If they play terrible, then MacT can replace one or both of them.

Goalies become available every year and they can be had for minimal assets, but having 2 goalies who are young with a lot to prove pushing each other isn't a bad approach. Hopefully by the time the team develops into a playoff contender, one of the goalies has established himself as a reliable #1.

Last season showed what happens to a team when the goaltending crashes and burns - a lost season not just from a contending standpoint but from a development and morale standpoint.

Let Vancouver have Miller's 3 x $6million contract. They'll wind up trading him for prospects and picks in 2 years when they finally realize that they're chasing a pipe dream and have to burn everything down to start over.

Awesome!!
One 6'2", Two 6'3", One 6'4", and now a 6'6" player(s) in the last few days!! So far it's only cost us Gags? lol

I am truly shocked that some of you are complaining?? Will you ever find happiness?
Too much money, term is too long, fire MacT..wha wha!
Any of us that actually follow hockey in the real world know that this is how free agency works. Players are going to take the deal that best suits them. Maybe Benoit was offered the same amount from another team but for a shorter term, so we had to step up a year to get him?
Ya lets get bargain deals, because I am sure the ticket prices will go down in the new building? lol
Way to go MacT, thanks for actually doing something to show this city that you care!

Its term not dollars. Multiply the 2, add in the fact Poo is inconsistent and has character issues and you got bad contract.

I made a point of stating the age the players were being paid to for a reason. The length of the contract is not what the GM's are thinking about. They are thinking about how old the players will be when the contract expires. All the players being signed will be the same age or older than Pouliot at the end of his deal. The reason there deals are shorter is because they are already older, which last I checked was a bad thing when dealing with 27-33 year old players.

Whooo! Keith Aulie, More left shot D, More left shot D, comon everyone, lets chant it. We'll do the ooptioop, overload em on the left side and have tweeter beat em one on one.

He is a HUGE guy that can be the 7th D-man. You don't want your young prospects playing only 15-25 games a year riding the bench when they do, you want them in the AHL earning big mins. This is what this signing is for

I just don't see how signing Hiller to replace Fasth would really guarantee both goalies' play doesn't take an unexpected hard left turn into the ditch.

I'd rather MacT use his remaining dollars to get a 2/3 C with some experience and defensive awareness that can help prevent some of the D zone breakdowns that contributed to Dubnyk looking so terrible last year...

Funny how a much better team thinks Fedun is of use but the Oilers don't.

Best thing that could have happen to Fedun...I can't wait to see him go to a team where he'll flourish as top 6 maybe even top 4 D in the next couple of years and take it to the young Oilers for years to come. Brutal move to let him go Oilers. Brutal!!

Last season showed what happens to a team when the goaltending crashes and burns - a lost season not just from a contending standpoint but from a development and morale standpoint.

That's true, but I think this is a different kind of bet.

Last year Dubnyk was anointed the number one goalie. A back up was signed to support him. That was obviously a mistake.

This year MacT is betting on two young goalies who have shown flashes of brilliance and number one potential. It is going to be a gamble no matter who he signs for goal, but he is hoping under these circumstances he can save cap space in goal and have a tandem motivated to compete and outplay their contracts to build their careers for the future.

Best thing that could have happen to Fedun...I can't wait to see him go to a team where he'll flourish as top 6 maybe even top 4 D in the next couple of years and take it to the young Oilers for years to come. Brutal move to let him go Oilers. Brutal!!

He is a HUGE guy that can be the 7th D-man. You don't want your young prospects playing only 15-25 games a year riding the bench when they do, you want them in the AHL earning big mins. This is what this signing is for

Fraser was a Huge guy, so was Fistrick, and Sutton. These number 7 defence types have not really helped our team be better. I agree with all your points, I really just wanted to make a reference to Tweeter from Varsity Blues.

I'm certainly not sold on the contract, but it is fair to note that it is paying for years where the player is under 32. If you're going to give a player term those are the years you should be buying.

Agree, but makes me wonder why Ehrhoff only signed a 1 year contract? Yes, he'll get his buyout money but I would have thought he was looking for 3 or 4 years. Maybe he values professional freedom more than money.

You do understand that the Oilers make a profit.Therefore money sunk on the Oilers is in the end the fans money.You get that right?

You also get that teams can only spend to the cap.If you overpay for marginal players it hurts the team.You get that too right?

I don't spend any money on the Oilers so it ain't mine.

Show me a maxed-out at-the-cap team and I'll show you a scenario where they get around it. It so often doesn't matter yet people (like you) still moan about other people spending money.

One example: Horcoff and that whole situation. He could've retired an Oil legend - for better or worse - but we (you) ran him out of town because he signed the dotted line in front of him. EVERYONE would've signed that line, yet people still dumped their crap all over him.

Show me a maxed-out at-the-cap team and I'll show you a scenario where they get around it. It so often doesn't matter yet people (like you) still moan about other people spending money.

One example: Horcoff and that whole situation. He could've retired an Oil legend - for better or worse - but we (you) ran him out of town because he signed the dotted line in front of him. EVERYONE would've signed that line, yet people still dumped their crap all over him.

Please explain how I ran Horcoff out of town.Never knew I had that kind of pull.

I never once blamed Horcoff for signing the contract I blamed Lowe for offering it.

Why is it that people think Pouliot is an overpay "by the comparables"? The whole league seems to think players in his range are worth what he are paying him, and he's arguably one of the best in that range, if not the best.

Also, the Ducks signed Clayton Stoner to a very similar contract to Fayne. Fayne is definitely a spot or two up on Stoner, and making a whopping 250k more.

How about these comparables?

Benoit Pouliot: $1.3m, signed for 1 year at age 26, after a 20 point lockout season, good defensively, big body.

Benoit Pouliot: $1.8m, signed for 1 year at age 25, 32 points on previous contract, good defensively, big body.

Benoit Pouliot: $1.1m, signed for 1 year at age 24, 30 points the previous season, good defensively, big body.

Benoit Pouliot: $1.375m, signed for 1 year at age 23, 28 points the precious season, good defensively, big body.

I'd say those are some pretty good comparables to 27 year old Benoit Pouliot.

He's been a fringe NHLer, bouncing from team to team on 1 year, $1-ish million contracts, not getting renewed, and having to look elsewhere.

The Oilers just signed the same player to triple the salary and five times the term that everyone else has been giving him.

This is not the kind of contract needed to land this kind of player, as objectively demonstrated by *this exact player*.

Fraser was a Huge guy, so was Fistrick, and Sutton. These number 7 defence types have not really helped our team be better. I agree with all your points, I really just wanted to make a reference to Tweeter from Varsity Blues.

Total respect for the Tweeter ref! The 7th D-man is never going going to make or break your team. You need a guy that knows his role and adds to your team quietly.

Apparently it is, as objectively demonstrated by the last 3 hours and at least 5 actual NHL GM's(not even counting any of the other GM's who have sought and paid other middle-lineup players big deals this morning, like Washington, Toronto or New Jersey, all of which who also signed OLD players to those deals).

It must be because The Oilers are stupid. He was undrafted so he has no value.

Or they allowed him to go to free agency because that is where he would be if he didn't have his leg broke.

Actually the trick is moving an undrafted player something that the team spent no draft picks on for something of value.The Bryzgalov pick up and trade was an example of that.Getting something for nothing.

Apparently it is, as objectively demonstrated by the last 3 hours and at least 5 actual NHL GM's(not even counting any of the other GM's who have sought and paid other middle-lineup players big deals this morning, like Washington, Toronto or New Jersey, all of which who also signed OLD players to those deals).

Been a pretty productive day for the Oil's management. Kuddos! For the vast majority of posters here, pay little mind to the few negative trolls whom constantly post nothing but bad news here. It matters not what the Oil do, the same 4/5 know-it-all's will never post anything positive, not in their nature. They are like a boil on an Elephant's ass, insignificant. GO OIL!

Picking up players who are used to winning from winning organizations- should rub off on the rest of the roster.

Picking up players who are used to winning from winning organizations- should rub off on the rest of the roster.

Winning organizations? Nikitin played in COL, which made the playoffs this year for the FIRST TIME since 2007. Fayne played in NJ, which made it to the finals in 2012, and hasn't made the playoffs since. Purcell is from a TB organization that last had a deep playoff run in 2011. Grabovski is from MTL/TOR, hardly the stuff of legend.

Pouliot is literally the only guy to come from a team that has made it deep into the playoffs recently.

Actually the trick is moving an undrafted player something that the team spent no draft picks on for something of value.The Bryzgalov pick up and trade was an example of that.Getting something for nothing.

Letting him walk for nothing puts you no further ahead of the game.

And what, tell me, would you have paid for Fedun knowing he was coming up to free agency.

Awesome!!
One 6'2", Two 6'3", One 6'4", and now a 6'6" player(s) in the last few days!! So far it's only cost us Gags? lol

I am truly shocked that some of you are complaining?? Will you ever find happiness?
Too much money, term is too long, fire MacT..wha wha!
Any of us that actually follow hockey in the real world know that this is how free agency works. Players are going to take the deal that best suits them. Maybe Benoit was offered the same amount from another team but for a shorter term, so we had to step up a year to get him?
Ya lets get bargain deals, because I am sure the ticket prices will go down in the new building? lol
Way to go MacT, thanks for actually doing something to show this city that you care!

I will be happy if this team can actually win on the ice. Year after year we sign pretty much the same type of player and then absolutely no results. I am glad you are happy in July. I would prefer to be happy in April. Heck I'd take being happy past November for a change! I can't believe that people on this site don't recognize the importance of quality goaltending - especially after our start last year. That cost us another season of pain. I like scrivens but not enough sample size to know fir sure if he will carry the load or be another dubnyk.